Game apparatus



Oct. 24, 1933. P. ARENDS 1,931,567

GAME APPARATUS Filed May 18, 1931 pefe/ A ffl 0 8 INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

' ed in the Patented Oct. 24, 1933 STATES 1,931,567 GAME APPARATUS Peter Arenas, Chicago, Ill. Application May is, 1931. swarm. 538,089

"7 Claims (01. 273 -145) This inventionrelates to animproved means for throwing or tumbling dice or similar objects, and has for one of its principal objects the .provision of a mechanism which will act to mechanieally shake dice in a simple and satisfactory manner.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a dice throwing gameor apparatus which shall be simple of construction and which,

furthermore, shall be positive in its operation and free from any unauthorized tampering or outside control of the dice themselves.

I Another and still further important object of the invention resides in the production of an apparatus for throwing or tumbling dice which can be satisfactorily operated by any one of a number of persons sitting in a game and without any inconvenience to any of the persons while at the same time the dice themselves are visible- 1 to all without being actually accessible.

Other-and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawing and following specification. 4

. The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrat-. v drawing and hereinafter more fully described. M r 1 In the drawing: 9 w Figure lis avertical sectional view of the improved dice throwing apparatus of this invention. Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, parts being broken away.

As shown in the drawing: The reference numeral 10 indicates generally the base'of the improved dice throwing apparatus of this invention, this base being of any suitable material, preferably metal or the like, and which is formed with a depression in its top at the center, the depression terminating in an opening 12.

' 16. This brace extends laterally from the sleeve over the base as best illustrated in Figure 1. Mounted on the brace is a disk or plate 18, this disk being attached to the brace by means of :soldering, spot-welding, or the like, and it will be noted that the disk has a central opening therein which surrounds the sleeve 14, allowing the disk to slide freely over the sleeve. For convenience, the edges of the disk 18 are turned downwardly as'illustrated at 20.

Fixed in an opening in the middle portion of the brace 16 bymeans of solder or the like is a vertically extending stem or post 22, the lower end of which is fitted into the opening 12 in the base 10 and upon the upper end of which is mounted a platform or the like 24. This platform rests loosely atop the post but is not fastened thereto.

Fitted around the post. 22 inside the sleeve 14 and below the brace element 16 is a helical spring 5.: or the like 26, which, as its lower end rests on the bottom of the depression in the base 10, normally forces the brace 16 together with the at-. tached plate 18 upwardly into the position shown in Figure 1, where the plate abuts against the lower end of a housing element 30 which is screwthreaded or otherwise fixed in position upon the top of the sleeve 14.

This housing 30 is formed with a central web as best shown in Figure 1, having an opening in the form of a bearing through which the stem or post 22 passes and in which it is freely slidable above the web element. The member 30 is formed witha central socket or depression into which is slidably mounted a sleeve or the like 32 which isfastened to the lower face of the platform' 24. The sleeve 32 is provided with a slot 34 in which apin 36 operates, this pin being mounted in the housing 30 adjacent the top thereof. It will be notedthat the slot 34 terminates a short distance above the lower edge of the sleeve 32, so that upward motion of the sleeve 32 and its attached platform 24 will necessarily be limited, even in the event of the stem 22 becoming loose from the brace 16.

The housing 30 is provided with an extending annular flange 40 which is interiorly screwthreaded and into which is fitted the lower correspondingly screwethreaded edge of a glass globe or bulb 42 in which are placed a series of dice or the like 44.

In operation, when the dice are resting on the platform 24, which may be covered with a disk of cloth or the like 46, the plate 18 is depressed against the tension of the spring 26 either by one or bothhands of an operator, and the pressure isthen suddenly released, whereupon the plate and all the elements attached thereto together with the platform 24 will fly upwardly to the limit of their movement, after which the dice, being free to move further, will be thrown against the sides and top of the bowl 42, and as the bowl as spherical in shape, the dice themselves will be rotated or tumbled, and upon again coming to rest upon the platform 24 will very probably present a different face on their tops.

It will be evident that herein is provided a simple yet very satisfactory dice game apparatus which, in addition to being readily operated by anyone of a large group of people without any preliminary shifting or positioning, can also be handled by any person regardless of experience, thereby eliminating any objection to the game which might otherwise be present. Furthermore, the dice and their resultantupper indicia are readily available to the vision of all parties or operators at any time.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a Wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

' Iclaim as my invention:

1. A dice; tumbling apparatus, comprising a base,,a stem slidably mounted in the base, a dice supporting platform at the top of the stem, a spring for resiliently forcing the stern and platform upwardly, and means for depressing the stem against the tension .of the spring, said means comprising a manually actuated plate, and means for mounting the, plate upon the stem, said means comprising a brace affixed to the stem and extending horizontally therefrom, together with a sleeve mounted in the base surrounding the spring and stem, said sleeve having slots therein for the slidable reception of the plate supporting brace.

2. A dice tumbling apparatus, comprising a base, a stem slidably mounted in the base, a dice supporting platform at the top of thestem, va spring for resiliently forcing the stem and platform upwardly, and means for depressing the stem against the tension of the spring, said means comprising a manually actuated plate, and means for mounting the plate upon the stem, said means comprising a brace affixed to the stem and extending. horizontally therefrom, together with a sleeve mounted in the base surrounding the spring and stem, said sleeve having slots therein for the slidable reception of the plate support: ing brace, and means for limiting the upward motion of the stem and platform.

3. A dice tumbling apparatus, comprising a LesLse? base, a stem slidably mounted in the base, a dice supporting platform resting upon the stem but not attached thereto and capable of independent upward motion above the stem, a spring for resiliently forcing the stem and platform upwardly, means for depressing the stem against the tension of the spring, and means for limiting said independent upward motion of the dice supporting platform.

4. A dice tumbling apparatus, comprising a base, a stem slidably mounted in the base, a dice supporting platform at the top of the stem, a transparent hood mounted on the base and enclosing the dice supporting platform, and means for causing upward and downward movement of thestem, said means including a horizontally disposed actuating plate secured at its central portion to the stem at a point below the dice supporting platform and below the lowermost portion of the hood.

5. A dice tumbling apparatus, comprising a base, a stem slidably mounted in the baes, a dice supporting platform at the top of the stem, a transparent hood mounted on the base and enclosing the dice supporting platform, and means for causing upward and downward movement of the stem, said means including a circular, horizontally disposed actuating plate secured at its central .portion to thestem at a point below the dice supporting platform and below the lowermost portion of the hood. 7

6. A dice tumbling apparatus, comprising a base, a stem slidably mounted in the base, a dice supporting platform resting upon the stem but not attached thereto and capable of independent upward motion above the stem, and means for causing upward and downward movement of the stem, and means for limiting -independent upward motion of the dicesupporting platform.

7. A dice tumbling apparatus, comprising a base, a stem slidably mounted in the base, adice supporting platform resting upon the "stem and capable of independent upward motion above the stem, means for causing upward and downward movement of the stem, and means for limiting said independent upward motionof the-dice supporting platform.

' PETER ARENDS. 

